Eschatology is the theological study of the last things — the consummation of God's purposes for creation, humanity, and redemption. The word comes from the Greek 'eschaton,' meaning 'last' or 'end.' Eschatology addresses the ultimate destiny of individuals, the church, and the entire cosmos. Individual eschatology deals with death, the intermediate state, the resurrection of the body, and the final judgment. At death, the believer's soul goes immediately to be with Christ, while the unbeliever's soul goes to Hades or torment. At the resurrection, all bodies will be raised — the just to everlasting life and the unjust to everlasting contempt. Christ will judge every person according to their works. General eschatology deals with the return of Christ, the millennium, the final judgment, and the new heavens and new earth. Christ will return personally, visibly, and gloriously. The dead in Christ will rise first, then living believers will be transformed, and together they will meet the Lord in the air. After the millennium and the final rebellion of Satan, the Great White Throne judgment will occur, and God will create new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells. Different views exist on the timing of the rapture and the nature of the millennium. Premillennialism holds that Christ will return before a literal thousand-year reign. Amillennialism interprets the millennium symbolically as the present age. Postmillennialism expects the church to usher in a golden age before Christ returns. The biblical evidence strongly supports premillennialism, with its literal interpretation of prophecy and its understanding of God's promises to Israel. But all Christians agree on the essential elements: Christ is coming again, there will be a resurrection and judgment, and the redeemed will spend eternity with God while the lost face everlasting punishment. Eschatology is intensely practical. The hope of Christ's return motivates holy living: 'every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' It provides comfort in suffering: 'the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' It gives urgency to evangelism: 'the night is far spent, the day is at hand.' And it produces patient endurance: 'he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.' A Christian without eschatology is a Christian without hope. The knowledge that Christ will return, that death is not the end, and that God will make all things new is the anchor of the soul in a world of turmoil and decay.

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Bible Verses About "What Is Eschatology"

Eschatology is the study of last things — the return of Christ, the resurrection, the final judgment, and the eternal states of heaven and hell.

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Eschatology is the study of last things — the return of Christ, the resurrection, the final judgment, and the eternal states of heaven and hell.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." — 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV)

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The Scriptures below are gathered specifically to address "What Is Eschatology?" Each is quoted in the King James Version with a link to its full chapter.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Revelation 21:1, 4

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

1 John 3:2-3

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

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Bible Verses About "What Is Eschatology"

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